Flying Fish landing in South Lake Union

Flying Fish, one of Belltown’s most popular restaurants, is moving to South Lake Union.

The iconic seafood restaurant, which opened in 1995, will relocate this spring to Vulcan’s Westlake/Terry Building, at the corner of Westlake Avenue North and Thomas Street. The old location, near the corner of First Avenue and Bell Street, will remain open until the new one is ready.

“I’m incredibly energized by starting a new chapter for Flying Fish,” owner-chef Christine Kerr said in a news release. “This is a great opportunity to take a well-established restaurant and give it a fresh face. We recognize our responsibility to our loyal clientele and we won’t disappoint.”

It might seem like a strange move for the Seattle institution, which has built a loyal following at its current location. The foot traffic in South Lake Union might not be as heavy as Belltown, but the new location provides room to grow and figures to get busier as several projects in the area — including the new Amazon.com headquarters — are completed.

Kerr said the South Lake Union neighborhood is attractive because it is fast-growing and close to downtown. The new location will include On The Fly, an adjoining space with meals to go, wine and gifts. The new location will also add a lunch menu.

“South Lake Union makes sense as the new address for Flying Fish on many levels,” Kerr said in the release. “It’s a fast-growing, dynamic location close to the downtown core that allows us to grow and expand our Flying Fish community in new ways.”